Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has unexpectedly paused new applications to the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), a federal initiative providing skilled refugees and displaced individuals with a pathway to permanent residence through Canada’s economic immigration system. The suspension took effect in late December 2023 and was quietly communicated to partner organizations just days before the holiday season.
Launched in 2018, the EMPP offers a unique blend of humanitarian support and economic development by enabling skilled refugees—such as engineers, nurses, and tradespeople—to fill labor shortages in Canada, particularly in smaller and remote communities. Unlike traditional refugee programs, EMPP focuses on work experience and labor market alignment.
IRCC cited a substantial backlog of applications, escalating processing times, and a limited number of admissible spaces under Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan for 2026–2028 as the key reasons for the pause. The department stated the decision aims to manage current application volumes and prevent further delays.
To date, the program has admitted 970 individuals, including family members, since 2019. While the target was to admit as many as 2,000 skilled refugees, surging demand has outpaced available capacity. IRCC confirmed that while no new applications are being accepted, all existing submissions will continue to be processed.
In a communication to stakeholders, IRCC emphasized its commitment to attracting global talent but noted the importance of aligning such efforts with sustainable immigration levels. The department added that it is working on developing a permanent and scalable version of EMPP that can better support long-term national priorities.
This recent development mirrors a similar move earlier in December when IRCC paused the Home Care Worker immigration pilots due to overwhelming demand for permanent residence. Both pauses highlight increasing limitations within Canada’s economic immigration pilots, especially as the federal government recalibrates its immigration strategy and targets.
The lack of a defined timeline for reopening EMPP has left many employers and refugee applicants in a state of uncertainty. Businesses that were poised to submit applications in early 2024, as well as skilled refugees holding job offers, will now have to wait until IRCC introduces an updated framework.
As Maple News continues to follow this story, questions remain about how Canada will balance its humanitarian goals with economic needs in an increasingly competitive global talent market.